U.S. Department ot Justice
Federal Bureau of InvestigationSECRET •
In Reply, Pleas.. Refer to MAX 1 1 1988 File He. New York, New York
Consolidation of Pown by Albanian First Secretary Ramiz Aliecand Consequent Establishment . of Diplomatic Relations with Western Nations . r Foreign Counterintelligence-Albania
This communication is classified "Secret" in its
entirety. • • NY T-1 is an Albanian scholar who is extremely knowledgeable reading Albanian matters. NY T-1 has some first - hand knowledge of Albanian political leaders, including Ramiz. Alia, with whom NY T-1 attended school in Albania. On numerous; occasions in the past, NY T-1 his provided the Federal Bureau of Investigation with reliable information. The following information was Provided by NY 11 -1 on February 25, 1988: Ramiz Alia, First Secretary of the Albanian Communist Party, President of the Albanian Republic, and Commander in Chief °Utile Armed Forces, has been successfully solidifying his power in Albania. In addition to holding the number one position, a clique of power loyal to Alia fills the next three most powerful SECRET
NAZI WAR CRIMES DISCLOSURE ACT Classified by G-3 Declassify on OAD8
EXEMPTIONS Section 3(b) FOR COORDINATION WITH (2)(A) Privacy 0 (2)(B) Methods/Sources Tr- Declassified and Approved for Release (2)(G) Foreign Relations by the Cent; Intelligence Agency Date:
This document contains neither recommendations nor . conclusions .of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned • to ybur agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.-
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Consolidation, of Power by Albanian First Secretary Samiz Alia and Consequent Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Western Nations POceign Counterintelligence-Albanmia positions. These men have been close friends since 1944-1945, when they all served in the Seventh Partisan Brigade together during World,War II, where Alia was Political Commissar. Irc‘re‘ Adil C rcani, Albanian Prime Minister (the number two position), was the :Commander of the Seventh Partisan Brigade. • • • eg-- Hekuran Tsai, Minister of Internal Affairs and Vice Prime minister (the number three position), was an officer in the Seventh Partisan Brigade.
Among Isai s present responsibilities is heading the Albanian Police and Albanian Intelligence Service, known as the Siguiimi.
Prokop Mu/ia, Albanian minister of Defense (the number four position), was also an officer in the Seventh Partisan Brigade.
Ap these men were elevated to power by former Albanian leader EnveraMb arior to Hoxha s death. Hoxha wanted to keep this clique of power together to preserve his legacy and that of Mocha s widow Nexhmie Mocha.
After assuming power, Ramiz Alia also elevated his former brother-in-law, Reiss Malile, to the powerful position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Maine was described as intellrgent, serious and loyal to Alia, owing his position not only to his abilities, but also to their relationship. Sometime, before 1973, Malile was Ambassador to China, and his wife (Alia s sister), and two children were killed in an airplane crash on a flight from Peking,GU.t.-_-.: Thalcow,,Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Malile suffered a severe emotional shock for this and lost his mind for sometime. Although Malile has recovered, and remarried, he still suffers occasional relapses. About 1981 or 1982, the remains of Malile s deceased wife and two children were
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Consolidation of Power by Albanian First Secretary Samiz Alia and Consequent Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Western Nations Foreign Counterintelligence-Albanmia returned to Albania. Malile shut himself off for two eeks and would not speak to, or see anyone during that time.
With Alia s solidification of power, there are rumors of a developing split-between him and Nexhmie Hoxha (Enver s widow).24,140SiC Nexhmie- andher faction want to maintain the isolationist policies of Enver Hoxha, while Alia wants a greater opening to the West. For now, even Alia wants to avoid any opening up to the United States or the Soviet Union.
Within the past few weeks, Ramiz Alia has made a positive gesture towards Great Britain, stating in a speech reported by the Albanian press, "If we and Great Britain sit down together, we can resolve our problems." Alia also announced that the Albanian soccer team will be traveling to Great Britain for a series of games in either the Fall, 1988, or in 1989.
NY T-1 views these developments as a precursor to establishing diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Albania. Within the past year Albania has established relations with Canada, West Germany and Greece.,
Because of pressing internal economic problems, NY T-1 believes that the Albanian Government recognizes the urgency of developing it economy through trade with the West, in particular with West Germany. The West Germans have brought up the issue of human rights, for the first time the Albanian Government is beginnihg to show some sign of sensitivity to world opinion regarding their human rights recgcd. In a recent speech reported in the Albanian press, Foto Camilm Secretary of the Central ^^mmittee of the Albanian Communist Party (and another handpicked man of Ramiz Alia) mentioned the fact that Albania it °. pressured to improve its human rights record. Cami denied there were any problems, claiming that Albania had freedom of speech, assembly and a good human rights record. Cami also claimed that Albania had done a great service to her people by liberating them
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Consolidation of Power by Albanian First Secretary Samiz Alia and Consequent Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Western Nations Foreign Counterintelligence-Albanmia from religious prejudices. Though Cami s speech was one of denial of any abuses, it was the first time that human rights issues have been discussed by such a high level official publicly in Albania.
In addition to changing top level personnel, Ramis Alia has been bringing in young, better educated people from top to bottom, who would owe their positions and loyalty to him. There has been resistance to this among the older party members who are faithful to Hoxha, but they are in decline. NY T-1 predicts in about three to five years these old liners will be swept aside. Alia was compared to a Gorbachev type figure. 1 NY T-1 knows Ramis Alia personally. As a boy, Alia was described as having a kindly, gentle nature, unlike his predecessor, Enver Hoxha. While human rights abuses still abound in Albania, NY T-1 advised that arbitrary night time arrests and mass executions have greatly decreased. There appears to be some relation of internal security also, as evidenced by an increase in the number of people escaping from Albania. In the past two months an Albanian Army Colonel with 17 others, and in another incident 35 peasants, escaped together. The Albanian Government has been keeping quiet about this. Recently those caught attempting to escape Albania have not been executed. NY T-1 believes that this is due in part to concern for world opinion, and in part to Ramiz Alia s temperament.
- With the notable exception of the United States and Soviet Union, NY T-1 believes Albania will continue to move away from it s past isolationism, and will probably soon establish diplomatic relatinrc.w i th Great Britain. This opening up to the West is already bLiuyial q‘ dater concern in Albania regarding their reputation for human rights abuses. Such abuses still abound, but NY T-1 believes Albania will make progress, though agonizingly slow, on its human rights record, because of the new sensitivity to world opinion.
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